12.03.10 - Home

We touched down at 5.25 am to a temperature of 3 degrees. Once more we had chatted to people in the lounge in Singgapore. There was the young man who was sitting next to me who came from Trowbridge and a couple who had planned to stop overnight in Singapore but who had been told that they had to leave on Thursday night as their passport had less than six months on it. In fact it was due to expire in a couple of months. They had been to the USA and NZ and no one had noticed until they arrived in Singapore. It was an uneventful flight and we both managed to sleep.

It is now Tuesday and we have been home 4 days. The weather has been very kind to us with fresh but sunny days, hence the washing is all done and suit cases stored away. Only the ironing remains to be completed. We have the photos to download on to the computer and my video needs to be sorted so we still have a bit to do but it all reminds us of the wonderful holiday we have had and the many memories that we will have of the places we have been and the people we have met along the way.

The Botanical Gardens

We woke to a beautiful day, hazy sunshine and no rain so having completed our packing we made our way by taxi to the Botanical Gardens. Our taxi driver was very keen for us to visit a place that sold jewellery as by doing so he would get a petrol voucher we told him that we didn’t have any money left but undetered he said that we didn't have to buy anything and it wasn't out of our way, so as not to disappoint him we agreed. There was some lovely jewellery there but very expensive and having fulfilled our obligation we continued our journey (the taxi driver was delighted with his voucher). The garden covers 63 hectare (155.7 acre) and is home to a diversity of tropical plants set in a beautiful landscape and with plenty to offer. We visited the Ginger Garden which displayed hundreds of species of ginger and included a waterfall that you could even walk behind. Swan Lake which was completed in 1866 not only boasted white mute swans from Amsterdam but was also home to terrapins, catfish and several other types of fish. The centre piece of this was one of the many sculptures displayed around the gardens which was of flying swans and was absolutely enormous. We missed out the rain forest as we did not relish the thought of being bitten prior to our journey. Palm Valley was home to an enormous array of palms both big and small and there was also the bandstand that in its heyday had been the scene for many regimental performances but is now no longer used. It gradually got hotter and more humid so having had lunch we visited the Evolution Garden and then decided to make our way back to the hotel and prepare for our departure.

06.03.10 - Sentosa Island to Mainland Singapore

Our taxi arrived and we were on our way to the Miramar Hotel on the mainland, not such a luxurious hotel but then it is in the city.

We had booked ourselves up for a tour of Singapore by night and with this in mind settled down for an afternoon nap following lunch. Singapore town is a very busy city and there is so much traffic. We were taken to Clarkes Quay where we had a typical Chinese dinner alongside the river. This was then followed by a visit to the Bugis Market which takes place every day from 10.30 in the morning until around midnight. There were lots of people about as it was a Saturday and with this and the humidity which seemed very high I have to admit to being glad when we left. It was then off to the famous Raffles Hotel for the famous Singapore Sling cocktail. We were escorted to the Long Room on the third floor where there was a group singing. On every table there was a square wooden container of the smallest monkey nuts you have ever seen . Apparently when you have finished you just throw the shells on the floor hence a very crunchy sound as you walk across the floor. Peter having finished his drink we made our way to explore. It is a most magnificent building with a large inner courtyard where we would see chefs preparing food and people dining. We then made our way outside and to the front which is very grand, I was amazed as to its size. You can actually stay at Raffles but we never did find out how much it cost. As it is near the end of our holiday we decided that we probably couldn’t afford it anyway.

Our plan today was to revisit the Botanical Gardens as there was so much more that we wanted to see but when we woke this morning it was raining. It is now nearly mid day and just when we thought it was lightening up it has started to rain again and it is tropical rain, very heavy. We can only hope that it will clear later and we can carry on with our plans, if not we have our books.

09.03.10 - Malacca

An early start today as we are going to Malacca in Malasia and it is a long journey. There are 6 of us on this trip and besides ourselves are 2 young girls, one Chinese and one French and a couple who live in California but originate from Manila in the Philippines. We were on and off the mini bus like yoyos while crossing the border, first leaving Singapore and then arriving in Malasia but having picked up our guide we were on our way. I was amazed at how green it all was and fascinated by the plantations of oil palms from which they produce palm oil. Malasia is the second biggest producer of palm oil in the world. The other trees which were much in evidence were the rubber trees, these are tapped twice a day and a little cup is attached to the side of the trunk into which the sap drips.
We arrived in Malacca and made our way to the Equatorial Hotel where we were to dine before embarking on our walking tour of the town. Lunch was splendid and we were soon on our way.
The temperature in Malasia is always high as is the humidity which reaches 95%. Today was no exception with a temperature of about 35 deg and very high humidity. As you can imagine we were soon soaked and were glad of the respite which a bit of shade brought. We wandered though the small side streets where people were selling and producing their wares in tiny openings and learnt about the history of Malacca. Prior to independence Malaysia has been governed by the Dutch, the Portuguese and the British and this is evident in the medieval charm, picturesque buildings and narrow streets. Francis Xavier, the founding father of Christianity in Malasia was originally buried here, his remains are now in Goa and his right arm in Rome. To reach his burial place and the remains of the church we had to climb a hill and then steps, this in itself was not too bad but with the humidity we were all very hot when we eventually reached the other side so it was cold drinks all round.

08.03.10 - We Hit the Shops

Singapore has a shopping are called Orchard Road which makes Oxford Street in London look quite small. It is full of huge shopping malls as well as ‘smaller’ shops and I think you could probably find anything you could think of here. Today we thought we would take a look. The shopping doesn’t particularly appeal but we thought that we ought to experience it. I have to say that once more it was very hot and humid so we meandered in and out of the shops just for the air con. We passed by Emerald Hill which had some original shop-houses all of which had been refurbished and according to the information board no. 2 was furnished in the traditional way but when we went to make enquiries I was told that it was no longer on view and when we looked it was now part of a bar, what a pity! We experienced our first Singapore shower while waiting for the bus, it lasted about an hour and we were amazed at how heavy the rain was, however, it soon dried up. Tonight we wandered along by the river and after cocktails ate in one of the many restaurants there.
We are quite excited as we learnt late this afternoon that the trip we wanted to do to Malasia was to go ahead.

07.03.10 - City Tour

Part of our package was a city tour and commentary. Our guide was quite informative and amusing. Our first stop was the Botanical Gardens. It was Sir Stamford Raffles the founder of modern Singapore, who developed the first ‘Botanical and Experimental Garden’ in 1822 and which closed in 1829. Thirty years later it reopened at its present site and today has a great diversity of tropical plants including the National Orchid Garden which is what we went to see. They have over 20,000 orchid plants on display and the colours and varieties have to be seen to be believed. Our next stop was to be Merlion Park (the Merlion has a lion head and fish body and is the symbol of Singapore) but as there was a marathon taking place that day the roads were closed and so we we went to the highest hill in Singapore, Faber Hill, from which we could see the water on one side and the city on the other. This was followed by a visit to Thian Hock Keng Temple, one of Singapore’s oldest Buddist-Taoist temples. Apparently it had been in a bad state of repair but in recent years has been completely refurbished and has now become a tourist attraction. A local Handicraft Centre was included and here they had pictures and ornaments made of semi-precious stones which were very ornate and beautiful but not to our taste. The tour was finished by a trip to Little India.

05.03.10 - Sentosa

During breakfast today we were visited by a brown squirrel, 3 small white parrots and numerous peacocks of various sizes which proceeded to strut around the terrace where we were eating. In fact one particular large female constantly tried driving off some youngsters who we thought might have been some of last year’s brood, and one cheeky bird made off with a rasher of bacon from the plate of a lady who had gone to get some toast. Needless to say she discarded her plate of food and went for some more.
We decided to explore the island today and caught the bus from the hotel. All buses and trams on the island are free and cover different zones, the yellow line comes to our hotel. Our first stop was Underwater World Singapore and Dolphin Lagoon. We were just in time to see the pink dolphins perform along with about 100 small children who were on a school trip. The highlight of the visit was the 83 metre long acrylic tunnel which gives the impression of being below the sea and from which you can see all manner of fish swimming alongside or overhead. It was lovely and cool inside and it wasn’t until we came outside that we realised how hot and humid it was.
Peter wanted to visit the Tiger Sky Tower which is Singapore’s tallest observation tower at 131 metres and which revolves on the way up and down giving you a 360 degree view. I opted out of this and decided to sit with a drink and wait. I didn’t have to wait long as what we didn’t know was that you just went up and then down and didn’t get out, so no sooner had I sat down with my drink than Pete reappeared. We were really hot and sticky so after our drink we took a quick tram ride along the beach and then returned to the hotel for a refreshing swim.

03/04.03.10 Auckland to Singapore

We left NZ with a heavy heart having thoroughly enjoyed our stay and were particularly sad to say goodbye to Sarina, David and Harry.
Today was to be long day flying from NZ via Melbourne and travelling through several time zones but eventually we touched down in Singapore and were soon on our way to our hotel on Sentosa Island.
We are at the Sentosa Spa Resort for 3 nights to soak up some sun and generally chill out. Thus this morning we had breakfast and made our way to the pool for a leisurely day. Having been dark when we arrived we had not seen the extent of the hotel and were amazed at just how large it was with lots of inner spaces with ponds, fountains, tropical trees and plants. The pool was enormous and well serviced with an attendant providing us with ice cold flannels on arrival and keeping us topped up with iced water for the whole of the day. We really did chill out, swimming, reading our books and people watching. We were kept amused by some peacocks which roam freely in the grounds, a white one, a couple of males and a female with the tiniest chick. Fortunately this morning the sun was not too hot although it did get much hotter in the afternoon and reached about 90 deg although it wasn’t quite so humid.

Last day in NZ

Today is our last day in NZ and Auckland. Tomorrow we are off to Singapore. We take with us many memories. We have enjoyed our stay with Sarina and David and getting to know Harry who has been a real delight. What are the most memorable things that we will take away with us from NZ? Is it the lady that we met in Doubtful Sound who had sold her house and was gradually making her way through her sons' inheritence, the farmers wife who was hand rearing a lamb and would never be able to slaughter it or the wine grower who had reared 2 ducklings along with the chickens so that they now thought that they were chickens and wouldn't go near the pond. Equally it could have been some of the many people we met along the way, such as the man and lady that we met only this week as we were crossing the road and that we stood talking to for about 15 minutes or the man in the shop who wanted to advise where we should go not only in Auckland but also when we get to Singapore. Yes, people have been so friendly and helpful there are too many instances to recount and I am sure that over the weeks and months to come they will gradually all return to us.

Whale and Dolphin Watching

Today started with a trip to the Maritime Museum. From the outside it didn't look very big and we thought that an hour or so would see everything. How wrong we were. We managed a couple of hours and still couldn't cover it all, the models of boats was amazing some of them being as big as two thirds of the original. Grabbing a sandwich we made our way to the harbour. We were going off for another boat trip to hopefully see whales and/or dolphins. The sun was shining and the sea blue as we started on our trip. We headed out of the harbour and motored for about 2 hours towards the Coramondel peninsula which is supposed to be one of the best places to see the dolphins but once more they were proving elusive so we headed in another direction when there was a shout someone had spotted a dolphin at the rear of the ship. We ended up seeing several but only swimming under the water and no acrobatics. It obviously wasn't enough as once more we were issued with a voucher to go and have another trip.

28.02.10 The Tsunami and Nippers

New Zealand surf life saving clubs offer training to both adults and to young people who may eventually wish to qualify as lifeguards. These juniors, or ‘nippers’, learn a range of skills through competitions. Harry is a Nipper and meets with his club at Pahia Beach about 45 km from Milford where he lives. We said that we would like to go and see what he did so off we set with him and Sarina. However, on our arrival we discovered that there had been an earthquake in Chile setting of a tsunami in the Pacific and affecting the east coast of NZ. All the beaches both east and west had been closed and Nippers had been cancelled for this week. We were a little concerned as Sarina and David's house is on the east coast and the ocean is at the end of their road. Fortunately there was no massive wave and the house was safe. Once the danger seemed to have passed the beach was opened and swimmers and surfers were alowed in the water. Harry had the time of his life, surfing and playing in the water and on the beach.

Having left the beach we drove to Waitakere and Sarina, David and Harry took us for a walk in the bush to Kitekite waterfall. It was a very picturesque and there was even someone swimming in the lake at the bottom and no it wasn't a child it was a man! We finished our day with a barbeque when Pete cooked the red snapper in wet newspaper.

26/27.02.10 - The America's Cup

Friday was spent booking our trip on the America's Cup boat and having a chill out day with a bit of lunch, the most enormous ice cream you have ever seen and sitting relaxing on the sea front in the sun.

Saturday found us down at the fish market chosing our supper for Sunday. It was to be a red snapper cooked by Peter in wet newspaper on the barbeque. A bit of lunch and then it was on to the boat, the NZL41 which was built for the America's Cup in 1995. Being a novice I wondered where we would sit and was told there aren't any seats in these boats as you are constantly on the move. It was an ideal sailing day and we were soon off and away across the bay. Pete and Harry both had a turn at 'driving' the boat, and Sarina, David and Harry all had a turn at grinding. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and Pete and I didn't even mind when we were swamped on our side of the boat by the swell from a passing boat.

We finished the day with a trip to Parnell to an Indian restaurant for dinner and all agreed what a gloroius day it had been.

Auckland and the Sky Tower

Today we are off to explore Auckland. We are hoping to go up the Sky Tower which we can see from this side (Northshore area)of the bay. We drove to the ferry terminal and as we parked the car the tower gradually started to disappear and once on our way across the water it poured. Coffee seemed like a good idea and we had had this the weather improved and the rain gradualy eased. Having located the Sky Tower we decided that as it seemed fairly clear it was now or never, so up we went. Pete went to the upper levels but I only went to the general viewing area and on his way down he peeled me off the wall!! Lunch was followed by a bus trip around the central area and we arrived back to the Northshore to blazing sunshine.

23/24.02.10 Paihia to Auckland

Had a good trip down from Paihia visiting a small local museum at Dargaville on the way and arrived in Auckland early evening. It was lovely to see Sarina, David and Harry who is an absolute delight. The evening was spent catching up on family and what we had all been doing.

The road where Sarina and David live leads onto the beach so the following day we decided to take it a bit easy and take a walk along the sea front, across the rocks and over the beach to a cafe Sarina recommended in Takapuna for coffee. It seems everyone else had the same idea and the cafe was full so after a while of sitting on the sea wall and watching the world go by on the sea we decided to go elsewhere for coffee. Good coffee but not such a nice outlook, we were facing the road. Collected lots of info from the Tourist Information and retired for lunch to peruse. There are 2 America's Cup boats in the harbour that you can go on and this is what Peter would like to do, you can either take part in the sailing or go on as a passenger (me).

After supper we were wisked off to Mount Victoria from which you can see 360 deg aspect of Devonport (yes there is a dockyard here), Auckland and the surrounding islands. It was magical and Harry had the time of his life sliding down the bank on a piece of cardboard, in fact the first time Sarina and I looked over the edge to see where he was he was so far down the bank that all we could see was his head. Oh what it is to be young and have no fear of heights, etc.

Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi was made with the Maori chiefs by Captain William Hobson on behalf of the British Goverment in 1840.

Today we visited the treaty grounds and the house of James Busby, British Resident in NZ 1833, which was later named Treaty House. This is the heart of the Maori nation and of great importance in their history. Someone on our journeys told us the difference between the Maoris and the Aborigines is that the Maoris had official documentation drawn up compensating them for any loss of land etc that they sustained and the Aborigines didn't.

We parked the car and walked the 2 km to the site to be greeted by the sound of chanting coming from the sea. It was a waka (large canoe) being rowed by about a dozen young men to a Maori chant.

There was much to see on the treaty site and we spent a very pleasant few hours there.

Tomorrow we start the last leg of our journey in NZ and head for Auckland to Sarina and David's.

20/21.02.10 – Whiatianga to Paihai and the Bay of Islands

Our trip yesterday was very long. We had decided that on our way to Paihai we would go north and cover the Coromandel peninsula that we had missed and take in the towns of Coromandel, Tapu and Thames. The scenery was exquisite and for most of the journey on the north side of the peninsula we travelled along a narrow, windy road beside the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames. The downside of this is that in 2 hours we covered about 45 miles, it was a long day.
Eventually we arrived in Pahia and our digs this time overlook the valley and river estuary and are run by Barbara and Alan (Budgie) a retired ENT Surgeon, who had most recently worked at Derriford Hospital. They spend half their time in the UK and half in NZ.
We woke today to blue skies, a light breeze and sunshine so off we went to catch the ferry across the bay to Russell. We were lucky enough to find ourselves in Pompallier which was a French factory built in colonial NZ to print books for the Catholic Mission. It is NZ’s oldest Catholic building and its oldest industrial building. Our guide was marvellous and took us through the whole process from tanning the leather to printing and eventually binding the books. I have to say that this took so long that we had no time for lunch as we were booked on to a cruise. An island is a piece of land or rock surrounded by water and sustaining some form of vegetation and there are 144 islands in the Bay of Islands. Our trip was to take us right out into the Pacific Ocean north of Cape Brett and the hole in the rock. We had been promised a viewing of dolphins but this was not to be and so we were all issued with a free voucher with no time limit to repeat the trip.

The Walk - 19.02.10

What a difference the sun makes. We woke this morning and there it was with a light breeze blowing. Now we had to do the walk. Once more we crossed the river on the little ferry to Ferry Landing and proceeded up the hill to Ngato Pa site (a pa is a fortified Maori village usually on top of a hill). We then made our way along the coast to Shakespeare Cliff Historic Reserve. This is about a 3 hour return journey and took us past Front Beach and Flaxmill Bay a sheltered bay which was obviously a favourite mooring for passing yachts, and up through dense woodland to Lonely Bay overlooking Cooks Beach. It was then quite a haul up to the lookout and Shakespeare Cliff. We were then fortunate enough to come across an opening in the woodland that almost looked like a formal garden and here overlooking the Bay and out to the Pacific Ocean we had our lunch. By now we were getting a bit warm so once down near the beach we looked out for a suitable spot and stripped off, Pete went for a swim and I went for a paddle. What bliss there were only 2 other people on the beach. It was then on our way and back to the ferry. We’re promised more of the same weather tomorrow but we are on the move again and off to the Bay of Islands.

Whitianga 17/18.02.10

Well we arrived in Whitianga early yesterday afternoon after an uneventful drive up from Rotorua. This time we have an apartment and there is even a heated pool!! We had lunch and decided to chill out by the pool. Very nice.
Woke today and guess what, yes it was cloudy but undaunted we decide (with waterproof jackets in the backpack) to catch the ferry across the narrowest part of Mercury Bay and go walking. The crossing was very short reminding us of the Cremyll crossing in Plymouth but much shorter and in no time we were on the opposite side of the bay. First stop, coffee in the cafe there and then off on the walk but as we headed off the heavens opened once more. We sheltered under an overhanging tree which gave us some shelter but only for a short while and in the end sodden once more we decided that we should return to Whitianga and go to the museum. However, we were so wet we decided to return to base and get dry clothes and have lunch. We never did make the museum but later that afternoon we had a good walk along the side of the Pacific and explored the local town.
Well we’ve heard the weather forecast for tomorrow and it is rain overnight and sunny tomorrow so we will have another go at the walk.

Rotorua Museum - 16.02.10

It was cloudy and low visibility when we looked out of the window and across the lake (forgot to mention that our accommodation in Rotorua has a garden running right down to the lake. Not wanting to get wet yet again we decided to visit the museum. Once more we joined a tour and learnt some very interesting facts. The museum had started off as a Bath House and patients and paying customers would go there to be immersed in a bath full of mud which was said to be very good for rheumatism, arthritis and skin conditions. It was the dream of a balneologist, Dr Wohlmann, who envisaged a much grander building. It opened in 1908 and closed in 1966 when all treatments were transferred to the local hospital. It was then turned into an up market entertainment centre, a restaurant and then a night club. Fortunately, it was taken back by the local council and turned into a museum in the 1990's. Unfortunately much of the 'history' and artefacts was destroyed. We spent a good deal of the day in the museum, going into the basement and up to a viewing tower on the roof and exploring the gardens and more steaming pits.

The Redwoods and Te Puia - 15.02.10

A bit cloudy first thing but we had decided that today we would visit the redwoods in Whakarewarewa Forest and then go on to Te Puia the Geothermal Valley. The Redwoods were planted in 1901 and thrived in the New Zealand Climate. They now stand at around 197 feet high and 64.5 inches in diameter, too wide to encircle with your arms. They are grow at a surprising rate and the wood is very light. We felt like dwarfs up against the trees and had a job to see the tops. We intended to do a 2 hour walk which would take us to a view point overlooking a the Whaka thermal area but once more the weather beat us and having seen the redwoods we turned back half way drenched.

After drying off the rain stopped and we decided go on to the Geothermal Valley. This was absolutely amazing. The Maoris realised that their crafts such as carving and weaving were gradually dying out as the skills were not being handed down. The valley where Te Puia and the geothermal valley is was given into the care of the Maoris and a scholarship system was set up for young men between the ages of 18 and 30 to train under a master carver and thus retain the ancient skills. No scholarships for the ladies, however, they just get volunteers to do the weaving. We joined a tour led by a Maori and saw some of the carvers and weavers in action. We have all read about the geysers and the hot stones that you could fry an egg on, well it's true and to top it all today we actually saw 2 live kiwi. What a day.

Tongariro to Rotorua - 14.02.10

We left Tongariro early as we had a long journey but as the weather had improved we thought that we would revisit Whakapapa to see what we had missed the day before. This time we were able to see the trio of volcanoes that yesterday were hidden in the mist. We were lucky and couldn't believe how close we had been to them.

Thus we were able to set off on our journey north. The roads were superb, long, straight and passing through massive pine forests. Coffee stop today was at Lake Taupo where we sat by the side of the lake watching the joggers, runners, sailors and the sea plane which landed on the opposite side of the lake. We stopped at Huka Falls, which are fed by the Waikato River, for lunch. As the water is slammed into the narrow chasm the force generated is used to supply a great deal of NZ power, both total and hydro power. The flow is increased between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm to meet the high electricity demand. The water was crystal clear and the most amazing turquoise. During our picnic today we were talking to a lady who had walked with her husband from Taupo but had decided that it was too much to walk back so had sent her husband back to get the car and return for her complete with picnic. Must be Valentine's Day!!

As we neared Rotorua we could see the evidence of thermal pools in the form of steam in the undergrowth and the distant smell of sulphur.

Tongariro and Whakapapa - 13.02.10

Well we awoke to yet more rain and mist so heavy that we couldn’t see the road at the end of the drive. The mist gradually lifted and we decided to make our way to Whakapapa to see what the DOC (Dept of Conservation) recommended. This area is not only known as the heart of volcano country (there are 3 volcanoes here) but also the Toringariro Alpine Crossing which takes about 7 hours to walk. Peter and I had decided against this as we weren’t sure if we were up to it. Just as well because all hikes on this track were banned today due to the wind and rain. On enquiring we were recommended a shorter walk to the Taranaki Falls although we would probably get wet. She wasn’t kidding the first part of the walk included walking through trees so was relatively sheltered! The terrain on the return journey reminded us of Dartmoor, heather, gorse bushes and very open and boy did it rain. We were soaked by the time we got back so it was into the only hotel in the village for a curry, it was so welcome.

Wellington to Tongariro National Park

We slowly climbed out of Wellington and drove along the coast on our way to Tongariro. It was cloudy when we left but the sun gradually showed its face and we had a very pleasant drive stopping for coffee on the way where a very kind lady made us some sandwiches for our lunch and cut us some fresh grapes from her vine. The scenery differed from the south in that there were no high mountains but high rounded hills. As we approached our destination the scenery reminded us of Dartmoor and very soon after we arrived it really did resemble it as the mist came down and it poured with rain. Our plan tomorrow is to do a walk we just hope that the rain clears.

Wellington - 11.02.10

The plan today was to do a walking tour of Wellington but as it was over cast and threatening rain we opted for plan B. We would go to the Te Papa Museum and then do the walk. The museum was amazing, a whole floor being devoted to the Maoris and needless to say we never did make the walk as we spent so long in the museum. We were lucky enough to see a group of Maoris performing traditional song and dance in full traditional dress. (photos will follow)

Blenheim to Wellington - 10.02.10

We were woken early by 2 ducks tapping at the window. They had been hand reared by Brian and his wife, Lesley, and reared with their hens and now thought they were chickens (I couldn’t get the song about the ugly duckling out of my mind that day) and waddled around the vineyard like 2 naughty children.
Having had breakfast we made our way to Picton to catch the ferry to Wellington. We had been told that the crossing on leaving Picton and approaching Wellington was quite stunning. However, as the weather was damp and visibility not very good we were forced to stay in the lounge and have a couple of glasses of wine and lunch.
Wow, what a difference in the traffic in Wellington to that in the South Island. I think in the time it took us to get to our hotel we saw more cars than we had in the previous three weeks.

Kaiteriteri to the Marlborough Wine Region

A pleasant but uneventful drive from Kaiteriteri to our last overnight stop in the South Island, the Blue Ridge Estate, a Blenheim Vineyard Homestay, where we were greeted by the very enthuastic owner Brian who gave us a quick introduction to wine growing. He owns a 20 acre estate which he and his wife bought and planted about 11 years ago. It was difficult to partake in the wine tasting as Peter had to drive. We did however, visit a brewery and sampled their wheat beer which was derived from the fact that the yeast used for the fermenation was that which was used for the local wine. We then visited a local vineyard, Highfield Estate, which boasts a tower from which you can see all the surrounding vineyards for miles around. We ended our last day in the South by sampling some local cuisine, our host Brian driving us there and us getting a taxi back again. We didn't have the local wine but one from a vineyard that we had visited in the Otaga Region, Mount Difficulty Estate.

Motueka and our walk through the Kumaras

It was breezy and a bit overcast today so we thought we would do a walk instead of swimming and lazing on the beach. We decided to go to the next town of Motueka and walk along the coastline and through a nature reserve. There was a spit here but not as long as the one at Farewell Spit and lots of birds 'touch down' here on their migratory travels. We were fortunate enough to see some white faced herons, godwits and swamp hens. The godwits come all the way from Alaska so make a long round trip. I had been hoping to see some white heron as they are native to New Zealand but it was not to be.

It was then in to town for coffee and something to eat before heading back to base.

Nelson to Kaiteriteri 06.02.10

Only a short trip today so thought we would drop off our bags and go exploring. No luck dropping the bags as we couldn't get any answer so off we went towards the far north west point, Farewell Spit. This is the longest sand spit in New Zealand and forms a coastal barrier that protects an important staging area for migratory shore birds. It is considered to be a Wetland of International importance. Unfortunately access is restricted so we were only able to view from afar. We picniced at Milnthorpe Quay a little inlet that we found off the beaten track. It turned out to be a wildlife and nature reserve and we saw Calfornia Quail with about 20 chicks and also a long beaked bird best described as a large moorhen!

Greymouth to Nelson 05.02.10

Not a lot to report today apart from the fact that since we had been to Punakaici to see the pancake rocks and the blow holes yesterday we decide to go inland for the next stage of our journey. This took us once more through miles of lush green vegetation with only a glimps of mountain in the background now and again. We came upon a swing bridge at Buller Gorge which was the longest swing bridge in New Zealand. Needless to say I didn't venture across it but Pete did and did a short planned walk. Among other things he saw the fault line where an earthquake had occured in White Creek in September 1929 which measured 7.4 on the Richter scale.

Franz Josef to Greymouth - 04.02.10

We left Franz Josef under a big cloud and made our way up the west coast towards Greymouth and for the next few hours we did not see another mountain. The scenery was of lush green vegetation and on the whole very flat. We stopped at Ross a former gold mining town which had obviously seen better days but the coffee and carrot cake were superb. On arrival at Greymouth we unloaded our luggage had a bite to eat and headed off to Punakaiki famous for its Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. We were about ¾ hour prior to high tide which is the best time to see them but even so it was quite impressive. It was so hot that rather than wait for the high tide we opted to go for an ice cream. Pete saw one of New Zealand’s flightless birds, the Weka (a wood hen). I think the funniest thing today was when we were crossing a one lane bridge and the notice said ‘give way except for trains’. The bridge was not only for bikes, pedestrians and cars but also trains. We were so pleased that a train did not come along when we were half way over the bridge.

Our flight above the glaciers

A glacier is a slow moving body of ice, drawn by gravity down a valley. It is fed at the head by large amounts of snow that compact and partially melt to form a whitish granular snow called firn. Over a number of years water seeps in and air is expelled under the weight of the accumulating snow and the granules eventually merge together forming bluish glacial ice. Due to gravitation the glacier slowly moves down the valley like a giant ice river which slowly melts as it reaches the more temperate lower levels. There are over 11 glaciers in the Westland and Mount Cook National Parks. Today we went on an Air Safari in a 6 seater plane flying above the largest of these glaciers, Fox, Franz Josef and Tasman and also mountains including Mount Cook and Mount Tasman to name just a couple. It was amazing, the sky was blue, the sun was shining and we could see for miles the range of mountains covered in a thick coating of snow. From above the glaciers are a multitude of colours, brown caused by forestation, blue from the water which is melting snow and of course the white of the snow, they almost look like thick whipped cream. We were able to see helicopters land on the snow below us and the people emerging looking like scattering ants, they were so small.
We followed this by a trip up to the Franz Josef Glacier where we hiked up as close to it as we could to see it from a different angle. Of interest while we were there was the man who was perched on a rock face at the side of the glacier with a pick axe carving steps out of the rock. We never did find out why he was doing. However, on looking back we did see a group of people suddenly appear on the top of the rock and make their way towards him so perhaps he was making a stairway for them!!

The rain forest and Franz Josef 02.02.10

We sadly left Wanaka this morning after another of Mike and Carla’s substantial breakfasts. Today we were off to Franz Joseph and the glaciers. The scenery on this occasion was somewhat different to the mountains that we had become used to. Instead we passed a number of lakes but travelled many miles through the rain forest. Such greenery and variety of plants, it was a delight to see. Having left Haast we travelled along the main coast road passing Bruce’s Bay, the beach and Pacific Ocean were by the roadside and the amount of wood in all shapes and sizes adorned it. For as far as the eye could see people had made figures, monuments and statues from the wood and stones that they had collected, what a sight. Before arriving at Franz Joseph we had to pass by Fox Glacier so made a detour and walked up towards the glacier. What an amazing sight. It is 13 km long and in some lights has a blue tinge to it. It’s difficult to believe that it is actually moving continuously and eventually reaches the bottom as a greyish river.